


At Peace

by bernard_greybridge



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Blood, Canon-Typical Violence, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route Spoilers, Fluff with an unhappy ending, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Nonbinary My Unit | Byleth, Not A Fix-It, Post-Black Eagles Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Post-Canon, Sorry Not Sorry, Suicide, Unhappy Ending, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Whump, it doesn't read like a whump, it just ends badly, now get ready for, there is humour and fluff, you've heard of "Angst With A Happy Ending"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:41:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25961497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bernard_greybridge/pseuds/bernard_greybridge
Summary: After the war, all of Sylvain's former classmates and allies from the Black Eagle Strike Force seemed to know what they wanted to do with their lives. Most of the nobles went back to their respective territories. Others were fast to join Emperor Edelgard and Lysithea on their quest to apprehend Those Who Slither in the Dark. And others simply wanted to live in a time of peace. Peace hadn't been a familiar feeling in a long time, after all.Sylvain, left all alone and not knowing what else to do, reluctantly retreated back to Gautier territory.
Relationships: Felix Hugo Fraldarius & Ingrid Brandl Galatea & Sylvain Jose Gautier, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier, Jeritza von Hrym/My Unit | Byleth
Kudos: 25





	At Peace

**Author's Note:**

> Like 40% of this is just exposition. Also be warned for a lot of side pairings I was too lazy to tag.

After the war, all of Sylvain's former classmates and allies from the Black Eagle Strike Force seemed to know what they wanted to do with their lives. Most of the nobles went back to their respective territories. Others were fast to join Emperor Edelgard and Lysithea on their quest to apprehend Those Who Slither in the Dark. And others simply wanted to live in a time of peace. Peace hadn't been a familiar feeling in a long time, after all.

Sylvain had had enough of the fighting. In truth, he lost his will for battle after the deaths of Dedue and Dimitri. He knew that the other former students of the Blue Lions House felt similar sentiments. He, Ingrid, and Felix took it the hardest, having been close friends with Dimitri since childhood.

So, after the Immaculate One fell, it made sense that most of the former Blue Lions students had gone back to what was formally known as Faerghus. Ashe started handling the affairs in Gaspard, being accompanied by Marianne who acted as his adviser. Annette and Mercedes left for Fhirdiad, the former helped rebuild the School of Sorcery and the latter volunteered at the Church, tending to children orphaned from the war. It took little convincing for Dorothea to join her new fiancé Ingrid in accompanying her to Galatea in order to help keep the peace among the apprehensive citizens.

As for Felix, he seemed determined to keep fighting. Like the war against the Church of Seiros was not enough, he volunteered his services to the Professor's army against the Agarthans.

Sylvain, left all alone and not knowing what else to do, reluctantly retreated back to Gautier territory.

His father had practically disowned him after he told him he was siding with the Adrestian Empire. However, upon his victorious return as a war hero, he was welcomed back with open arms. The Margrave was funny like that.

Over the years, he took over as Margrave and formed a peace treaty with Sreng. The rest of the world kept spinning, too. The Agarthans were practically extinct. Professor Manuela and Professor Hanneman had reopened the Officers Academy together. Students often talked about the couple's constant bickering, even during seminars. Lorenz helped in delegating resources to what was formally known as the Leicester Alliance. Last he heard, he had yet to find a wife, as he was still hung up on Leonie. Ignatz and Raphael returned to their home village to tend to their families, and they had even started courting recently. They opened up an inn famous for its extravagant paintings decorating the rooms, the most famous of which was a depiction of the entire Kirsten family. Lysithea became Emperor Edelgard's faithful adviser and confidante. The Ordelia family had relinquished their nobility and moved to Enbarr to be with their daughter, and it was said that they treated the Emperor like she was a child of their own. Hubert and Ferdinand, in a similar fashion, never left her side either. Or each other's, for that matter. Caspar and Linhardt had given up their noble status after the war. Apparently, they were travelling through Fódlan and had gotten engaged some moons ago. Petra returned to Brigid to claim her rightful place on the throne, with Bernadetta in tow as her new betrothed. Every other moon or so, Bernadetta would send a manuscript narrating tales about Brigid folklore, culture, or wildlife.

Dorothea acted as the new Countess of Galatea and Ingrid was her loyal knight. The two wives were his most frequent visitors and vice versa. Ashe and Marianne had started a family together. Ashe often wrote to him about how their children inherited their mother's dazzling smile. Mercedes and Annette had gotten married and were contemplating adoption. He mostly saw Annette when the two were coincidentally in Dominic territory, the former to talk to the Baron and the latter on a visit to her mother. Sylvain could never bring himself to go back to Fhirdiad, but he often received letters from Mercedes detailing her reconnection with her long lost brother Jeritza.

Jeritza himself had faded into obscurity, along with the Professor. After the defeat of Those Who Slither in the Dark, the Professor had started a merry band of mercenaries with him, and they travelled around and beyond Fódlan. There was still a betting pool among their formers students on what their relationship with the Death Knight was. As well as a separate betting pool on the winner of their supposed duel to the death. And a subsequent betting pool as to whether or not the duel would actually ever commence.

Every so often, he would hear about the wandering band of mercenaries. A rumour told him that among them were Shamir and Alois, former Knights of Seiros. A letter from Marianne let him know that she speculated Leonie to be another member. All three had close bonds with the professor and would probably follow them anywhere.

A surprise visit from Ingrid informed him that Felix was with them, too.

The knight had flown to the Gautier estate on her pegasus the moment she had heard the news. Sylvain held her as she cried for the first time in years.

"He's g-going to end up like G-Glenn," Ingrid sobbed, "Hasn't he had e-enough bloodshed?"

"And he used to call me insatiable," Sylvain shook his head.

"Lorenz still receives letters from Leonie," Ingrid pulled away to level him with a teary eyed glare, "Jeritza still writes to Mercedes. Her Majesty still keeps tabs on the Professor. So, why hasn't Felix contacted to us? W-What if—Goddess, what if h-he's already—"

"Hey, come on now," he tucked her head underneath his chin as she broke down into a bawling fit. Truthfully, the comforting gesture was mostly so that she wouldn't see his own weepy expression. "Felix would never break the promise we made. Remember?"

"Saints, I had almost forgotten," she let out a teary laugh, "You wrote to me and His Highne—I mean, D-Dimitri immediately after. You said you two swore to each other that you would die together so that you would never be apart. And you added that Glenn taught you that a truly chivalrous knight would never go back on their word, therefore you two had to fulfil the oath."

"And I recall you asking in your next visit to see our engagement ring," Sylvain sighed with a small grin, "Because you mistook our promise as a marriage proposal of all things."

"Well what was I meant to believe?" Ingrid swatted his shoulder in indignation, "You pledged your lives to one another! You know how I was supposed to propose to Dorothea? I planned on hiding the ring in her food while we ate."

"Thank Sothis she proposed first," Sylvain must have made a face, earning himself another smack to the arm. Soon the two blinked away the last of their tears. "Come on, Felix would never break his promise."

"Because he clearly still upholds the ideals of chivalry and knighthood?" Ingrid finally released herself from his hold. She rubbed at her eyes, now thankfully dry. "I just wish we could see him again."

And see him they did. Not even a moon after the surprise visit, Sylvain and Ingrid were called to the Tailtean Plains. Demonic Beasts had been roaming through the area. However, since the monsters had been terrorising the outskirts of the Gautier and Galatea territories beforehand, the Margrave and Countess had to get involved financially.

By the time they arrived, the creatures had already been slain by mercenaries, who were now looking for compensation.

"Professor?" Ingrid gasped as she landed on the shoals of the plain, much to her pegasus's dismay. Their old teacher greeted them with a big grin and an excited wave. It was an odd sight from one known for their expressionlessness, but Sylvain recalled Emperor Edelgard mentioning that they had undergone a change after the fall of Rhea. Their hair and eyes had turned back to their dark hues from when they had first met. But more than that, they had started to smile wider. They were much more easy to read, as if they had suddenly acquired a heart.

"Professor!" Sylvain exclaimed, clapping them on the back.

"It's been almost a decade since I taught you," they raised an amused eyebrow, "You may call me Byleth."

Ingrid's eyes darted to meet his, almost pleadingly.

"You first," she hissed.

"No, you," he retorted.

"Come on, Professor, stop teasing them," Leonie waved at her peers as she approached, elbowing her boss at their side.

"I taught you for less than three moons."

"Have you gotten our gold, Professor?" Shamir asked, eyeing the two before recognition flashed in the Dagdan's eyes, "Ah, reminiscing with your former students, I see."

"You weren't even a student."

"Professor! Are those your old students? That sure takes me back!" Alois laughed as he threw an arm around them.

"You're almost twenty years older than me."

"My Ashen Demon, the last of these foes' blood has been spilled," Jeritza called out from his perch on his dark horse as he made his way towards them, "Soon, my blade may finally taste your own blood. The Death Knight thirsts for you, Professor."

"We're literally married, my Bloodstained Demon," the Professor whined.

"I knew it!" Sylvain swivelled to Ingrid, "You said it was preposterous! I'm pretty sure I've earned an entire bullion from the betting pool."

"Why didn't I listen to Dorothea?" Ingrid groaned, "I was wondering why Mercedes gave me such a despondent look after I said I bet on them just being friends."

"Hey, Dorothea knows where it's at," Sylvain winked. The blonde knight opened her mouth to argue when something caught her eye from behind him. Her eyes grew to the size of her personalised saucer plates. In spite of the infamous Tailtean Plains' almost impassable shoals, she sprinted past them. When Sylvain turned to see what she was running towards, he felt like a Thoron had pierced through his heart, leaving him breathless.

Felix's Thorons always did knock the wind out of him.

Ingrid threw her arms around the former heir, nearly sending them to the dirt. Sylvain quickly followed, wrapping his arms around the two smaller figures. Their childhood friend huffed but awkwardly patted their backs.

It was Ingrid who was the first to let go. If it weren't for her, he may have never taken the hint to release him. Still, if Felix was irked by his too long hesitation before pulling away, he didn't show it. Much.

"I ought to strangle you," Ingrid spat, eyes wet, "You left without saying a word! You never wrote, you never visited. What were we meant to think?"

"Sorry," Felix shuffled his feet in the dirt, not meeting their eyes, "I wanted to. It just got so—I didn't know what to say. And the longer I waited, the worse it got."

"You could have at least let us know that you were alive, Felix," Sylvain resisted the urge to bring him in his arms again.

"You never even told us why you left," Ingrid shook her head, angry tears spilling onto the soil, "I nearly went mad thinking I did something wrong. I-I kept pushing back my wedding date, h-hoping you would show up so you could attend. It was to the point that Dorothea asked me if I had gotten cold feet!"

"Why did you leave?" Sylvain asked, because he had always been morbidly curious and masochistic, "What was so important that you thought to abandon your friends? Is this all just some part of your sick training?"

"Hey, that's enough," the Professor warned. Distantly, the three were aware of the other mercenaries backing away from the scene.

"Shut up!" Felix snarked, "You wanna know why I left? I left because I was sad and angry, okay? I had to force myself to come on this mission, because just being in Faerghus makes me sick. We had to pass through Arianrhod, the old man's grave. Just to get here, the Boar's and his Lap Dog's graves."

"Saints, you can't even say their names!" Ingrid seethed, "You think I liked having to kill my friends? People I considered family?"

Sylvain placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder. She nearly snapped her neck as she whipped back to look at him. Seeing his upset expression, the knight visibly deflated.

"What Ingrid means is, we get that it was hard for you after the war," Sylvain eyed Felix cautiously, "But it was hard on us, too. And we wanted you there to help us cope."

Felix sighed, hand fumbling with the hilt of his sword from where it poked out of its sheath.

"Maybe what I needed at the time was space from you two," the mercenary confessed, eyes flicking up just in time to see the pained looks his friends made. "In my father's final moments, he saw me. He thought I was Glenn, welcoming him to the afterlife. When the Boar—When D-Dimitri died, he thought I was Glenn, too. He looked terrified, saying he would avenge me." Felix shut his eyes, face flickering with hurt, before finally meeting their eyes. "In their last breaths, they both asked me if they did a good job."

"Felix," Sylvain's voice cracked. Ingrid made something akin to a croaking sound.

"It was your duty," the blonde spoke softly, almost unsure, "You did the right thing."

"Yeah, well, I couldn't go back to Faerghus or the monastery," Felix crossed his arms, features falling into a familiar frown, "So I joined the Professor. Now, I get to swing my sword all across Fódlan. We've even been to lands beyond. We've been to Duscur and Dagda, and we even saw Petra and Bernadetta in Brigid."

"We're thinking of going to Almyra next," the Professor announced as they sensed the tension to be eased, "Maybe visit Claude."

"I feel a little sorry for Claude, he had to give up his position as Leader," Ingrid hummed thoughtfully.

"Oh please, have you ever even met the Master Tactician?" Sylvain smirked, "He's probably being treated like royalty over there."

"Nonsense," Felix rolled his eyes, but the corner of his lips was quirked upwards.

"My Demon?" Jeritza called out for the Professor, gaining all of their attention, "The others are getting rather eager for their payment."

"Certainly," Ingrid nodded, "I have your gold in my saddle."

"I am not taking money from my former students," the Professor laughed, a surprising but heartwarming sound, "It's on us. From one friend, to another."

"Thank you, By—Nope," Sylvain recoiled at the taste of their name on his tongue, "Can't do it. Sorry."

"It doesn't get any easier working with them either," Felix shook his head.

"So what do you think created these monsters?" Ingrid asked politely, hoping to distract them from being offended, "Sightings of such creatures have been scarce ever since the defeat of Those Who Slither in the Dark."

"We believe that the last of the Agarthans have regrouped and are conspiring against us," Felix unfolded his arms, "They've seemed to have identified our team members and are targeting areas near our former territories."

"They seem to have been experimenting, as well," the Professor sighed, "I am unsure whether the they are getting stronger or I am simply no longer as formidable as I used to be. The power of the Goddess no longer dwells within me, so I am substantially weaker than I once was."

"And more talkative apparently," Sylvain's eyebrows shot up, "That was the most I've heard you speak all at once."

Felix and Ingrid jabbed at his ribs at the same time.

"Come now, this is hardly a place for a reunion," they grinned, "You can pay us with a round of ale."

"It wouldn't be for the first time," Felix admitted.

"There should be a tavern just north of here," Ingrid pointed at the vague direction, "I can fly ahead on my pegasus, just follow me."

"I'll go get the others," the Professor beamed at them, mounting the back of Jeritza's horse. The Death Knight gave them a half wave before leading them back to the band of mercenaries.

"You can hitch a ride with me," Sylvain offered, "I brought my horse."

Felix looked constipated for a moment before nodding his assent.

And that was how Sylvain rode on horseback with Ingrid flying overhead and Felix latching desperately onto him in the back.

"I won't let you fall, Felix," Sylvain nudged at him, eliciting a stream of curse words spoken from under his breath. The mercenary's clutch on his armour simply tightened.

"I know," Felix spoke, softer than Sylvain expected. Although, contradictory to the statement, his stress grip on his waist was not alleviated.

"This reminds me of when we were kids. You were always clinging onto me," Sylvain glanced back right before the other man ducked his head into the crook of his neck, earning an eyeful of the brilliant shade of his blush before it was hidden away. "We promised to always be by each other's side. Remember?"

"I do," Felix's said, pressing their torsos closer together "We promised to stay together forever. We would even die together."

"Exactly," Sylvain felt his own face flush at the memory, "So, don't go dying on me, alright?"

"Okay, Sylvain," Felix smiled, unbeknownst to the redhead, "I promise."

Soon, the two were rejoined by the knight and the other mercenaries. Ingrid ordered an entire feast, and then asked the others what they were having. Leonie and Shamir tried to outdrink each other, and their intake was enough for the bartender to faint. Alois talked their ears off about the last letter he received from his wife and children. The Professor and Jeritza recounted stories of their travels. From their visit to Brigid, they found out that Bernadetta was writing a new book based on the adventures from Caspar's and Linhardt's letters. Sylvain was vibrating in his seat, anticipating reading the manuscript. Felix butted in every now and then to add comments or arguments. He then proceeded to start, participate in, and singlehandedly win a bar fight with some patrons. Sylvain was pretty sure the only reason they hadn't been thrown out was because the barkeep recognised them and their respective positions.

Eventually, they had to part ways. Sylvain pulled both of his remaining childhood friends into a group hug. Ingrid squirmed before settling into the embrace. Felix stilled for a moment, but eventually leaned into his arms.

When Sylvain got back to the Gautier estate, he immediately wrote letters to all of his friends to talk about the encounter. As well as to earn his money from the betting pool. He went to bed that night in a heartfelt bliss.

Little did he know that that would be the last time he would ever see Felix again.

Almost a decade after the end of the war, Sylvain had been in the middle of a meeting with some minor lords when one of his servants had burst through the doors of his council room after a series of alarming knocks.

"I apologise profusely, my Margrave," she bowed, "But a Professor Byleth Eisner has just been sent to your office. And per your orders, should one under that name enter the estate, we were to alert you instantly, regardless of the time."

"Thank you," Sylvain spared a glance at the lords and offered an apologetic look, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but this is an emergency. I'll be sure to reschedule this immediately."

The lords had thinly withdrawn sneers as they made dismissive gestures, but Sylvain was already sprinting through the halls like a Fire spell. He slammed his office door open, nearly busting it out of its frame. The Professor spun to see him and, for the first time in over a decade, he saw them cry.

Emperor Edelgard had always liked to tease the Professor on their newfound expressiveness after they lost their connection to the Goddess. Their laughs were loud, their scowls were unreserved, their smirks were unashamed.

And now their tears were unhinged.

The no longer stoic Professor was falling apart before him and he had no idea why or what to do. Before Sylvain could ask any of the billions of questions swarming his head, the Professor drew their sword from its hilt. The redhead blinked in confusion, wondering if they were about to have an impromptu sparring session like they did back in their academy days.

However, as the sword was unsheathed, Sylvain's eyes were drawn to the engraving on the hilt. The Fraldarius Crest.

"W-We were battling the l-last of the Agarthans," the Professor's voice was shaky as they explained the unexplainable, "There were so many Demonic Beasts. We managed to w-win. There are no Agarthans left."

He pried his eyes away from the hilt, flittering to the bloody blade.

"But one of them, h-he managed to cast one more spell before Emile got to him," they shook their head, "Felix had Aegis. I-I thought it would be enough. Afterwards, I tried—I really tried, I tried to use Divine Pulse, but—I'm so s-sorry—"

Sylvain had no idea what they were attempting to say before they choked on their own tears. He was only vaguely aware of them saying that the others were recuperating back at Garreg Mach, and Jeritza had ushered his horse to the estate's stables. All Sylvain knew was one thing.

Felix had broken his promise.

The Professor cried as they apologised repeatedly. Apparently the body had been completely disintegrated, so they were planning on burying Aegis, since there were no other bearers of the Crest. Another Fraldarius burial for a weapon. However, Felix had explicitly stated to them that if anything were to happen to him, they were to deliver his sword to Sylvain. He nodded and thanked them, before excusing himself, saying something about needing some time and space alone to think. On his way out, he asked the servant to escort them and Jeritza to one of the guest rooms and get them whatever they wanted.

It was only when he entered his private chambers wherein Sylvain realised that he was still holding the sword, grasping the sharp edge like a lifeline. His own blood was now spilling over the despicable beings' blood like a fresh coat of paint.

He guessed Ingrid was right. Felix really didn't hold the ideals of chivalry and knighthood.

Oh Sothis, Ingrid.

How was he supposed to tell her? She had planned on visiting next moon with Dorothea to discuss trades between their territories. Half of the Faerghus Four, dead. Then there was Ashe, who had admired him since school and somehow always saw through all of his meanness. He and Marianne had adopted a cat last year and named it after him. Then there was Mercedes, who he had loved like a sister. Whenever she wrote to Jeritza, she always asked about both of her little brothers. Then there was Annette, who had been his first real friend after the four had drifted apart. He was the first person she had turned to after the death of her father, knowing he of all people would understand her pain.

Then there were others, too. There was Dorothea who loved to banter with him about snobbish nobles. There was Bernadetta who had slowly learned how to be at ease around him as fellow introverts. There was Lysithea who was easily the best magic caster in the army, evidenced by her ability to cast spells into cakes that somehow make them seem appealing to him of all people. There was Leonie, who was surely inconsolable at the moment after having lost her favourite sparring partner.

And then there was Sylvain. Who, with surprisingly steady arms, raised the sword. His thumb pressed against the etching of the Fraldarius Crest. The blade was pointed directly to his chest.

There was Sylvain, who had a promise to keep.

It was like a Thoron had pierced through the heart.

**Author's Note:**

> Others: The Sylvix ending is so sad in non-Azure Moon routes, I should write a Fix It Fic!  
> Me: Do You Think Sylvain Killed Himself With Felix's Sword?
> 
> I'm also considering writing another non-Azure Moon Ending Sylvix Fic wherein Sylvain and the Blue Lions go feral and hunt down whoever killed Felix. Please comment if you would be interested in reading that.
> 
> If you don't hate me after reading this, please follow me on Twitter @berning_bridges~


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